Teaching with AI

AI is an interesting topic to talk about. There are so many uses for this technology in the world and teaching is no exception. Currently, my 4th grade students are learning about long division and using the box method and I wanted to see what an AI could come up with for a lesson as I have already done multiple lessons on this topic, so here it is:

I asked Chat GDT to create a long division lesson using the box methods

The box method is a visual way to perform long division, which helps to break down the problem into manageable parts and to avoid mistakes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to using the box method to solve a long division problem:

1. Write the dividend (the number being divided) inside a large rectangle, with the divisor (the number being divided by) written outside of the rectangle to the left.
2. Divide the first digit of the dividend by the divisor, and write the result in the top-left corner of the first small rectangle.
3. Multiply the divisor by the result from step 2, and write the product in the top row of the small rectangle.
4. Subtract the product from the first two digits of the dividend, and write the difference in the middle row of the small rectangle. If the difference is negative, write a negative sign in front of the difference.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for each small rectangle, until you have reached the end of the dividend.
6. If there is a remainder, write it outside the large rectangle to the right of the last small rectangle, and indicate that the answer is a mixed number.
7. Repeat the steps until you have reached the end of the problem or until you have simplified the answer as much as possible.

Here is an example of using the box method to solve the problem of dividing 83 by 5:

The answer is 16 with a remainder of 3, so the final answer is 16 R 3.

What this means

This was really cool to see and somewhat scary. This lesson or instructions is pretty close to what I did with my students. While I definitely gave my students more guidance, gave them more examples, and tied it into their personal lives; this lesson that the AI gave was a strong foundation for what is taught in schools.

I do not think that AI is going to take over the teaching job, this can definitely be a resource for teachers that are having a hard time coming up with lessons for the class.